Enhancing the palatability of animal food is a continuing endeavor by food manufacturers. Addition of palatants to the food is desirable as a means to increase acceptance by the animals, resulting in improved health of the animal, increased weight gain, etc. In order to provide a cost-effective feeding program aquaculture feeds should be easily sensed by the animal and stimulate the animal to seek out the food. Thus, palatants are used in foods for aquaculture to maximize the amount of food eaten. Particularly, in aquaculture feeds, acceptance of the feed by fish is decreased as fishmeal is replaced with vegetable proteins.
Supplemental methionine has occasionally been used to balance rations to accepted or perceived amino acid requirements for select aquatic species. L-methionine is known as an attractant for some species and a repellant for other species. Accordingly, a need has remained for a pallatant for aquaculture that excites the species to accept the aquaculture feed in a greater amount.